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Zhu S, Sui Y, Shen Y, Zhu Y, Ali N, Guo C, Wang T. Effects of Virtual Reality Intervention on Cognition and Motor Function in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:586999. [PMID: 34025384 PMCID: PMC8136286 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.586999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Virtual reality (VR) intervention is an innovative and efficient rehabilitative tool for patients affected by stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of VR intervention on cognition and motor function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Methods: Seven databases were systematically searched for relevant articles published from inception to April 2020. Randomized controlled trials examining VR intervention in adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia aged >60 years were included. The primary outcome of the study was cognitive function, including overall cognition, global cognition, attention, executive function, memory, and visuospatial ability. The secondary outcome was motor function, consisting of overall motor function, balance, and gait. A subgroup analysis was also performed based on study characteristics to identify the potential factors for heterogeneity. Results: Eleven studies including 359 participants were included for final analysis. Primary analysis showed a significant moderate positive effect size (ES) of VR on overall cognition (g = 0.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.31-0.59; P < 0.001), attention/execution (g = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.26-0.72; P < 0.001), memory (g = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.29-0.85; P < 0.001), and global cognition (g = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.06-0.58; P = 0.02). Secondary analysis showed a significant small positive ES on overall motor function (g = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.05-0.51; P = 0.018). The ES on balance (g = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.06-0.80; P = 0.02) was significant and moderate. The ES on visuospatial ability and gait was not significant. In the subgroup analysis, heterogeneity was detected in type of immersion and population diagnosis. Conclusions: VR intervention is a beneficial non-pharmacological approach to improve cognitive and motor function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, especially in attention/execution, memory, global cognition, and balance. VR intervention does not show superiority on visuospatial ability and gait performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhe Zhu
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Youxin Sui
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nawab Ali
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuan Guo
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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152
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Gallucci M, Mazzarolo AP, Focella L, Berlin E, Fiore V, Di Paola F, Bendini M, Zanusso G, Fenoglio C, Galimberti D, Bonanni L. More Atypical than Atypical Alzheimer's Disease Phenotypes: A Treviso Dementia (TREDEM) Registry Case Report. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2021; 5:365-374. [PMID: 34189408 PMCID: PMC8203287 DOI: 10.3233/adr-210009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A 57-year-old right-handed man was admitted to the Treviso Memory Clinic due to the presence of memory forgetfulness, repetition of the same questions, episodes of confusion, initial difficulties in performing complex tasks and easy distraction over the past two years, as well as recurrent and never-happened-before car accidents. OBJECTIVE We report a peculiar case of an early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) with an unusual symptomatology, apparently not fitting in any of the categorized atypical forms of AD nor being representative of a typical amnestic AD. METHODS The patient underwent a neuropsychological, structural, and metabolic cerebral evaluation by MRI and 18F-FDG PET, together with the search for cerebral amyloid (amyloid PET), a genetic testing for dementia related genes and the dosage of CSF protein biomarkers of neurodegenerative conditions. RESULTS We observed a convergence of predominant frontal (dysexecutive, verbal disinhibition) and posterior (visuospatial) features of cognitive impairment. Structural MRI sequences showed subarachnoid spaces of the vault enlarged in the fronto-parietal region with anterior and posterior cortical atrophy. The hippocampus appeared preserved. The 18F-FDG PET scans showed hypometabolism in the prefrontal, lateral temporal, posterior parietal, and occipital regions bilaterally. The 18F-Flutemetamol scan showed a diffused uptake of the amyloid tracer at the cerebral cortex. CSF biomarkers were compatible with Alzheimer's disease (AD). CONCLUSION This case report presented with clinical phenotypic aspects atypical of AD, both frontal and posterior, never described as concomitant in the most accredited criteria for atypical AD, and appeared therefore more atypical than each of the atypical AD phenotypes already reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Gallucci
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
- Associazione Alzheimer Treviso Onlus, Treviso, Italy
| | - Anna Paola Mazzarolo
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Lucia Focella
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Elisa Berlin
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Vittorio Fiore
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Francesco Di Paola
- Neuroradiology Unit, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Matteo Bendini
- Neuroradiology Unit, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Galimberti
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Center, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Policlinico, Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bonanni
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences and CESI, University G D’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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153
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Incidental evidence of hypointensity in brain grey nuclei on routine MR imaging: when to suspect a neurodegenerative disorder? Neurol Sci 2021; 43:643-650. [PMID: 33931819 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05292-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Deep grey nuclei of the human brain accumulate minerals both in aging and in several neurodegenerative diseases. Mineral deposition produces a shortening of the transverse relaxation time which causes hypointensity on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The physician often has difficulties in determining whether the incidental hypointensity of grey nuclei seen on MR images is related to aging or neurodegenerative pathology. We investigated the hypointensity patterns in globus pallidus, putamen, caudate nucleus, thalamus and dentate nucleus of 217 healthy subjects (ages, 20-79 years; men/women, 104/113) using 3T MR imaging. Hypointensity was detected more frequently in globus pallidus (35.5%) than in dentate nucleus (32.7%) and putamen (7.8%). A consistent effect of aging on hypointensity (p < 0.001) of these grey nuclei was evident. Putaminal hypointensity appeared only in elderly subjects whereas we did not find hypointensity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus of any subject. In conclusion, the evidence of hypointensity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus at any age or hypointensity in the putamen seen in young subjects should prompt the clinician to consider a neurodegenerative disease.
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154
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Steinbach R, Prell T, Gaur N, Roediger A, Gaser C, Mayer TE, Witte OW, Grosskreutz J. Patterns of grey and white matter changes differ between bulbar and limb onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 30:102674. [PMID: 33901988 PMCID: PMC8099783 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by a high heterogeneity in patients' disease course. Patients with bulbar onset of symptoms (b-ALS) have a poorer prognosis than patients with limb onset (l-ALS). However, neuroimaging correlates of the assumed biological difference between b-ALS and l-ALS may have been obfuscated by patients' diversity in the disease course. We conducted Voxel-Based-Morphometry (VBM) and Tract-Based-Spatial-Statistics (TBSS) in a group of 76 ALS patients without clinically relevant cognitive deficits. The subgroups of 26 b-ALS and 52 l-ALS patients did not differ in terms of disease Phase or disease aggressiveness according to the D50 progression model. VBM analyses showed widespread ALS-related changes in grey and white matter, that were more pronounced for b-ALS. TBSS analyses revealed that b-ALS was predominantly characterized by frontal fractional anisotropy decreases. This demonstrates a higher degree of neurodegenerative burden for the group of b-ALS patients in comparison to l-ALS. Correspondingly, higher bulbar symptom burden was associated with right-temporal and inferior-frontal grey matter density decreases as well as fractional anisotropy decreases in inter-hemispheric and long association tracts. Contrasts between patients in Phase I and Phase II further revealed that b-ALS was characterized by an early cortical pathology and showed a spread only outside primary motor regions to frontal and temporal areas. In contrast, l-ALS showed ongoing structural integrity loss within primary motor-regions until Phase II. We therefore provide a strong rationale to treat both onset types of disease separately in ALS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Steinbach
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
| | - Tino Prell
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena
| | - Nayana Gaur
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Christian Gaser
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas E Mayer
- Department of Neuroradiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W Witte
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena
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155
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Amanzio M, Palermo S, Stanziano M, D'Agata F, Galati A, Gentile S, Castellano G, Bartoli M, Cipriani GE, Rubino E, Fonio P, Rainero I. Investigating Neuroimaging Correlates of Early Frailty in Patients With Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia: A MRI and FDG-PET Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:637796. [PMID: 33935684 PMCID: PMC8079404 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.637796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Frailty is a dynamic clinical condition characterized by the reduction of interconnections among different psychobiological domains, which leads to a homeostatic vulnerability. The association between physical frailty and cognitive dysfunctions is a possible predictor of poor prognosis in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. However, this construct has not been fully analyzed by a multidimensional neuropsychogeriatric assessment matched with multimodal neuroimaging methods in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). We have investigated cognitive dysfunctions and frailty status, assessed by both a neuropsychological evaluation and the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), in a sample of 18 bvFTD patients and compared to matched healthy controls. Gray matter (GM) volume (as assessed by voxel-based morphometry) and metabolism (on 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) were first separately compared between groups, then voxelwise compared and correlated to each other within patients. Linear regression of the MPI was performed on those voxels presenting a significant correlation between altered GM volume and metabolism. The neuropsychological assessment reflected the diagnoses and the functional-anatomical alterations documented by neuroimaging analyses. In particular, the majority of patients presented significant executive dysfunction and mood changes in terms of apathy, depression, and anxiety. In the overall MPI score, the patients fell in the lower range (indicating an early frailty status). On imaging, they exhibited a bilateral decrease of GM density and hypometabolism involving the frontal pole, the anterior opercular region, and the anterior cingulate cortex. Greater atrophy than hypometabolism was observed in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex, the triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus, and the ventral striatum, whereas the contrary was detected in the bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and pre-supplementary motor area. MPI scores significantly correlated only with the co-occurrence of a decrease of GM density and hypometabolism in the right anterior insular cortex, but not with the separate pathological phenomena. Our results show a correlation between a specific pattern of co-occurring GM atrophy and hypometabolism with early frailty in bvFTD patients. These aspects, combined with executive dysfunction and mood changes, may lead to an increased risk of poor prognosis, highlighting a potentially critical and precocious role of the insula in the pathogenesis of frailty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Amanzio
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA), Brussels, Belgium
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Studi Avanzati in Neuroscienze - National Institute of Turin (NIT), Orbassano, Italy
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico “Carlo Besta,”Milan, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Federico D'Agata
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonello Galati
- Nuclear Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino,”Turin, Italy
| | - Salvatore Gentile
- Aging Brain and Memory Clinic, Neurology I, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Castellano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Elisa Rubino
- Aging Brain and Memory Clinic, Neurology I, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Fonio
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy, Radiology Institute, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Innocenzo Rainero
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Studi Avanzati in Neuroscienze - National Institute of Turin (NIT), Orbassano, Italy
- Aging Brain and Memory Clinic, Neurology I, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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156
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DiFrancesco JC, Isella V, Licciardo D, Crivellaro C, Musarra M, Guerra L, Salvadori N, Chipi E, Calvello C, Costa C, Ferrarese C. Temporal lobe dysfunction in late-onset epilepsy of unknown origin. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 117:107839. [PMID: 33611099 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epilepsy with onset in the adulthood is an increasing health problem, due to the progressive aging of the worldwide population. Whether the causes remain undetermined, the disease is defined as Late-Onset Epilepsy of Unknown origin (LOEU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the semiological, electroencephalographic, metabolic, and neuropsychological features of LOEU. METHODS We selected patients with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) (≥55 years), whose causes of the disease have been excluded with a deep clinical-instrumental characterization, including brain MRI, EEG, 18F-labeled fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and neuropsychological assessment. RESULTS Twenty-three LOEU cases were retrospectively recruited. Half presented focal-onset seizures (FOS), the others focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS). All demonstrated a mild phenotype, with no recurrence of seizures on single antiseizure treatment at prolonged follow-up. Brain MRI scans were normal in 12 patients (52.3%) and showed nonspecific gliosis or mild atrophy in ten (43.5%); hippocampal sclerosis (HS) was observed in one. In 17/23 (73.9%), the EEG showed slow and/or epileptiform activity of the temporal areas. Brain FDG-PET revealed temporal lobe hypometabolism, mostly ipsilateral to EEG abnormal activity, or multifocal temporal and extra-temporal (cortical, subcortical and subtentorial) clusters of hypometabolism. The neuropsychological analysis demonstrated three different profiles: normal (43.5%), with focal deficits (39.1%) or mild multidomain impairment (17.4%). SIGNIFICANCE Late-Onset Epilepsy of Unknown origin can present as FOS or FBTCS, both with good prognosis. The application of metabolic imaging and neurophysiology techniques in these patients points to the dysfunction of the temporal structures, whose role in the pathogenetic process of the disease remains to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo C DiFrancesco
- Department of Neurology, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano - Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy.
| | - Valeria Isella
- Department of Neurology, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano - Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy.
| | - Daniele Licciardo
- Department of Neurology, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano - Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy
| | - Cinzia Crivellaro
- Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy; Nuclear Medicine Unit, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Monica Musarra
- Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy; Nuclear Medicine Unit, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Luca Guerra
- Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy; Nuclear Medicine Unit, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Nicola Salvadori
- Neurology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Chipi
- Neurology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Carmen Calvello
- Neurology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Neurology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Carlo Ferrarese
- Department of Neurology, ASST S. Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano - Bicocca, Monza, Italy; Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Italy
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Luca A, Nicoletti A, Donzuso G, Terravecchia C, Cicero CE, D'Agate C, Rascuná C, Manna R, Mostile G, Zappia M. Phonemic Verbal Fluency and Midbrain Atrophy in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 80:1669-1674. [PMID: 33720901 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropsychological profile of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients is mainly characterized by executive dysfunction, but the relationship between the latter and midbrain atrophy is still unclear. OBJECTIVE The aims of the study were to investigate which test evaluating executive functioning is more frequently impaired in PSP patients and to evaluate the relationship between midbrain-based MRI morphometric measures and executive dysfunction. METHODS PSP patients who had undergone a neuropsychological battery assessing executive functioning with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the phonemic verbal fluency F-A-S, the Raven's Progressive Colored Matrix, and the Stroop word colors test (time and errors) were enrolled in the study. A group of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients matched by age, sex, education, and global cognitive status was selected. All the enrolled patients also underwent a volumetric T1-3D brain MRI. RESULTS Thirty-five PSP patients and 35 PD patients were enrolled. Patients with PSP as compared to patients with PD showed a significant greater impairment in verbal fluency (16.0±7.9 and 23.4±8.7 words/180 s; p < 0.001) and a significant lower score at the FAB total score (11.5±3.8 and 13.7±3.4; p = 0.013). Midbrain area was significantly smaller in PSP patients than in PD patients (83.9±20.1 and 134.5±19.9 mm2; p < 0.001). In PSP patients, a significant positive correlation between verbal fluency and the midbrain area (r = 0.421; p = 0.028) was observed. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the phonemic verbal fluency is among the most frequently impaired executive functions in PSP patients and is strongly correlated to midbrain atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Luca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandra Nicoletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Donzuso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Claudio Terravecchia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Calogero Edoardo Cicero
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Concetta D'Agate
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Rascuná
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Roberta Manna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Mostile
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Zappia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Versace V, Sebastianelli L, Ferrazzoli D, Romanello R, Ortelli P, Saltuari L, D'Acunto A, Porrazzini F, Ajello V, Oliviero A, Kofler M, Koch G. Intracortical GABAergic dysfunction in patients with fatigue and dysexecutive syndrome after COVID-19. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1138-1143. [PMID: 33774378 PMCID: PMC7954785 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Objective A high proportion of patients experience fatigue and impairment of cognitive functions after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here we applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to explore the activity of the main inhibitory intracortical circuits within the primary motor cortex (M1) in a sample of patients complaining of fatigue and presenting executive dysfunction after resolution of COVID-19 with neurological manifestations. Methods Twelve patients who recovered from typical COVID-19 pneumonia with neurological complications and complained of profound physical and mental fatigue underwent, 9 to 13 weeks from disease onset, a psychometric evaluation including a self-reported fatigue numeric-rating scale (FRS, Fatigue Rating Scale) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Intracortical activity was evaluated by means of well-established TMS protocols including short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), reflecting GABAA-mediated inhibition, long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI), a marker of GABAB receptor activity, and short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) that indexes central cholinergic transmission. TMS data were compared to those obtained in a control group of ten healthy subjects (HS) matched by age, sex and education level. Results Post-COVID-19 patients reported marked fatigue according to FRS score (8.1 ± 1.7) and presented pathological scores at the FAB based on Italian normative data (12.2 ± 0.7). TMS revealed marked reduction of SICI, and disruption of LICI as compared to HS. SAI was also slightly diminished. Conclusions The present study documents for the first time reduced GABAergic inhibition in the M1 in patients who recovered from COVID-19 with neurological complications and manifested fatigue and dysexecutive syndrome. Significance TMS may serve as diagnostic tool in cognitive disturbances and fatigue in post-COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Versace
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy.
| | - Luca Sebastianelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Davide Ferrazzoli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Roberto Romanello
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Paola Ortelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Leopold Saltuari
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Alessia D'Acunto
- Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Porrazzini
- Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Ajello
- Department of Cardiac Anesthesia, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Oliviero
- FENNSI Group, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Servicio de Salud de Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Markus Kofler
- Department of Neurology, Hochzirl Hospital, Zirl, Austria
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Italy
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Horta-Barba A, Pagonabarraga J, Martínez-Horta S, Busteed L, Pascual-Sedano B, Illán-Gala I, Marin-Lahoz J, Aracil-Bolaños I, Pérez-Pérez J, Sampedro F, Bejr-Kasem H, Kulisevsky J. Cognitive and behavioral profile of progressive supranuclear palsy and its phenotypes. J Neurol 2021; 268:3400-3408. [PMID: 33704556 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) phenotypes have recently been described, studies identifying cognitive and neuropsychiatric differences between them are lacking. METHODS An extensive battery of cognitive and behavioural assessments was administered to 63 PSP patients, 25 PD patients with similar sociodemographic characteristics, and 25 healthy controls. We analysed differences in phenomenology, frequency and severity of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms between PSP, PD and HC, and between PSP subtypes. RESULTS Regarding phenotypes, 64.6% met criteria for Richardson's syndrome (PSP-RS), 10.7% PSP with predominant Parkinsonism (PSP-P), 10.7% with PSP progressive gait freezing (PSP-PGF), and 10.7% PSP with predominant speech/language disorder (PSP-SL). Impairment was more severe in the PSP group than in the PD and HC groups regarding motor scores, cognitive testing and neuropsychiatric scales. Cognitive testing did not clearly differentiate between PSP phenotypes, but PSP-RS and PSP-SL appeared to have more cognitive impairment than PSP-PGF and PSP-P, mainly due to an increased impairment in frontal executive domains. Regarding neuropsychiatric disturbances, no specific behavior was more common in any of the PSP subtypes. CONCLUSION Motor deficits delineate the phenotypes included in currently accepted MDS-PSP criteria. Cognition and behavioural disturbances are common in PSP and allow us to distinguish this disorder from other neurological diseases, but they do not differentiate between PSP phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Horta-Barba
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Pagonabarraga
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain. .,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Saül Martínez-Horta
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Busteed
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Pascual-Sedano
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Illán-Gala
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.,Memory Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Marin-Lahoz
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Aracil-Bolaños
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Pérez-Pérez
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Frederic Sampedro
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helena Bejr-Kasem
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Kulisevsky
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas, 90-08041, Barcelona, Spain. .,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (U.A.B.), Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques- Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain. .,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona, Spain.
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160
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Fernández-Fleites Z, Jiménez-Puig E, Broche-Pérez Y, Morales-Ortiz S, Luzardo DAR, Crespo-Rodríguez LR. Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of the INECO Frontal Screening and the Frontal Assessment Battery in mild cognitive impairment. Dement Neuropsychol 2021; 15:98-104. [PMID: 33907602 PMCID: PMC8049576 DOI: 10.1590/1980-57642021dn15-010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the INECO Frontal Screening (IFS) are
two instruments frequently used to explore cognitive deficits in different
diseases. However, studies reporting their use in patients with mild cognitive
impairment (MCI) are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoylen Fernández-Fleites
- Psychology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas - Santa Clara, Cuba.,CognitiON (Cuban Inicative on Cognitive Health) - Santa Clara, Cuba
| | - Elizabeth Jiménez-Puig
- Psychology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas - Santa Clara, Cuba.,CognitiON (Cuban Inicative on Cognitive Health) - Santa Clara, Cuba
| | - Yunier Broche-Pérez
- Psychology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas - Santa Clara, Cuba.,CognitiON (Cuban Inicative on Cognitive Health) - Santa Clara, Cuba
| | - Sheyla Morales-Ortiz
- Psychology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas - Santa Clara, Cuba.,CognitiON (Cuban Inicative on Cognitive Health) - Santa Clara, Cuba
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161
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Camarda C, Torelli P, Pipia C, Battaglini I, Sottile G, Cilluffo G, Camarda R. Activation-Induced Rigidity in Neurologically and Cognitively Healthy Individuals Aged 18-90 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study. JOURNAL OF PARKINSONS DISEASE 2021; 11:847-856. [PMID: 33612497 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-202488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rigidity is a key clinical feature of Parkinson's disease (PD), but in a very early phase of the disease it may be absent and can be enhanced through active movements of the arm contralateral to the one being tested. OBJECTIVE To evaluate in a large cohort of neurologically and cognitively healthy (NCH) subjects aged 18-90 years if activation-induced rigidity (AR) is present in all age classes, and if there are biological differences between subjects showing AR (AR+) and not showing AR (AR-). METHODS 2,228 NCH subjects categorized as young adult (18-44 years), adult (45-64 years), elderly (65-74 years), and old/oldest-old (75-90 years) were included in the analysis, and underwent brain MRI. White matter hyperintensities were assessed through two visual rating scales. Lacunes were also rated. Atrophy of the caudate nuclei and ventricular enlargement were assessed through the bicaudate ratio and the lateral ventricles to brain ratio. To elicit AR, the Froment's maneuver (FM) and the instructions of the UPDRS-ME were used. RESULTS Among the sample, 1,689 (75.81%) subjects showed AR, of which 1,270 (57.00%) subjects showed AR by using FM, and 419 (18.81%) showed AR by using UPDRS-ME instructions. The latter subjects also showed AR by using FM. The number of AR+ subjects significantly increased with increasing age, regardless of the activation maneuver used. In each age class, the number of AR+ subjects was significantly higher by using the FM than the UPDRS-ME instructions. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that AR is likely to be one of the signs of the prodromal phase of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Camarda
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences, and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Paola Torelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Iacopo Battaglini
- Ospedale Santa Croce, U.O. di Neurologia, A.S.L. Torino 5, Torino, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sottile
- Department of Economics, Business, and Statistics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Cilluffo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosolino Camarda
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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162
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Scarpina F, Bastoni I, Cappelli S, Priano L, Giacomotti E, Castelnuovo G, Molinari E, Tovaglieri IMA, Cornacchia M, Fanari P, Mauro A. Psychological Well-Being in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Associated With Obesity: The Relationship With Personality, Cognitive Functioning, and Subjective and Objective Sleep Quality. Front Psychol 2021; 12:588767. [PMID: 33679512 PMCID: PMC7933550 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.588767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome severely affects psychological well-being. This syndrome frequently occurs in obesity; however, no previous study has investigated the level of psychological well-being in the case of OSA syndrome associated with obesity. In this work, we assessed the level of psychological well-being in fifty-two individuals affected by OSA syndrome and obesity through the Psychological General Well-Being Index. Moreover, we investigated the role of personality, cognitive functioning and attentional capabilities, subjective perception and objective measurement about sleeping, on the subjective perception of psychological well-being. Our sample reported a lower level of psychological well-being; the participants' scores were below the normative cut-off in all components, except for depression symptoms. A lower expression of harm avoidance temperament and a lower level of daily sleepiness predicted a higher level of psychological well-being. Psychological well-being seemed to be severely affected in individuals affected by OSA syndrome and obesity. The temperament and subjective perception of daily alertness and sleepiness, rather than the syndrome severity, seemed to play a crucial role in the individual perception of the psychological well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Scarpina
- IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bastoni
- Laboratorio di Psicologia, IRCCS, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Simone Cappelli
- Laboratorio di Psicologia, IRCCS, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Priano
- IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Emanuela Giacomotti
- IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Laboratorio di Psicologia, IRCCS, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Molinari
- Laboratorio di Psicologia, IRCCS, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Cornacchia
- IRCCS, U.O. di Riabilitazione Pneumologica, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Paolo Fanari
- IRCCS, U.O. di Riabilitazione Pneumologica, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mauro
- IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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163
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Nigro S, Tafuri B, Urso D, De Blasi R, Frisullo ME, Barulli MR, Capozzo R, Cedola A, Gigli G, Logroscino G. Brain Structural Covariance Networks in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020192. [PMID: 33557411 PMCID: PMC7915789 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research on behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) has shown that personality changes and executive dysfunctions are accompanied by a disease-specific anatomical pattern of cortical and subcortical atrophy. We investigated the structural topological network changes in patients with bvFTD in comparison to healthy controls. In particular, 25 bvFTD patients and 20 healthy controls underwent structural 3T MRI. Next, bilaterally averaged values of 34 cortical surface areas, 34 cortical thickness values, and six subcortical volumes were used to capture single-subject anatomical connectivity and investigate network organization using a graph theory approach. Relative to controls, bvFTD patients showed altered small-world properties and decreased global efficiency, suggesting a reduced ability to combine specialized information from distributed brain regions. At a local level, patients with bvFTD displayed lower values of local efficiency in the cortical thickness of the caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus, rostral anterior cingulate, and precuneus, cuneus, and transverse temporal gyrus. A significant correlation was also found between the efficiency of caudal anterior cingulate thickness and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in bvFTD patients. Taken together, these findings confirm the selective disruption in structural brain networks of bvFTD patients, providing new insights on the association between cognitive decline and graph properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Nigro
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Benedetta Tafuri
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Daniele Urso
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Neurosciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Roberto De Blasi
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Radiology, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy
| | - Maria Elisa Frisullo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Barulli
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Rosa Capozzo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
- Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: or giancarlo.; Tel.: +39-0833/773904
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164
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Dinapoli L, Chiesa S, Dinapoli N, Gatta R, Beghella Bartoli F, Bracci S, Mazzarella C, Sanfilippo MZ, Sabatino G, Gaudino S, Della Pepa GM, Frascino V, Valentini V, Balducci M. Personalised support of brain tumour patients during radiotherapy based on psychological profile and quality of life. Support Care Cancer 2021; 29:4555-4563. [PMID: 33479794 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06000-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Psychological distress in primary malignant brain tumour (PMBT) patients is associated with poorer outcomes. Radiotherapy (RT) often induces side effects that significantly influence patients' quality of life (QoL), with potential impact on survival. We evaluated distress, anxiety, depression, and QoL over time to identify patients with difficulties in these areas who required more intense psychological support. METHODS Psychological questionnaires-Distress Thermometer (DT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G and FACT-Br)-were completed at the beginning (T0), in the middle (T1), directly after RT (T2), and 3 months after RT (T3). We personalised the psychological support provided for each patient with a minimum of three sessions ('typical' schedule) and a maximum of eight sessions ('intensive' schedule), depending on the patients' psychological profiles, clinical evaluations, and requests. Patients' survival was evaluated in the glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients, with an explorative intent. RESULTS Fifty-nine consecutive PMBT patients receiving post-operative RT were included. For patients who were reported as 'not distressed' at T0, no statistically significant changes were noted. In contrast, patients who were 'distressed' at T0 showed statistically significant improvements in DT, HADS, FACT-G, and FACT-Br scores over time. 'Not distressed' patients required less psychological sessions over the study duration than 'distressed' patients. Interestingly, 'not distressed' GBM patients survived longer than 'distressed' GBM patients. CONCLUSIONS Increased psychological support improved distress, mood, and QoL for patients identified as 'distressed', whereas psychological well-being was maintained with typical psychological support in patients who were identified as being 'not distressed'. These results encourage a standardisation of psychological support for all RT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loredana Dinapoli
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.,Unità Operativa Semplice di Psicologia Clinica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Chiesa
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Nicola Dinapoli
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Gatta
- Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Beghella Bartoli
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Bracci
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Ciro Mazzarella
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Sabatino
- Dipartimento di Neurochirurgia, Ospedale Mater Olbia, Olbia, Italy.,Istituto di Neurochirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Gaudino
- UOC di Radiologia e Neuroradiologia, Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Maria Della Pepa
- UOC di Neurochirurgia, Dipartimento Scienze dell'invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della testa-collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Frascino
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Valentini
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.,Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Balducci
- UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.,Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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165
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Giampiccolo D, Parisi C, Meneghelli P, Tramontano V, Basaldella F, Pasetto M, Pinna G, Cattaneo L, Sala F. Long-term motor deficit in brain tumour surgery with preserved intra-operative motor-evoked potentials. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcaa226. [PMID: 33615216 PMCID: PMC7884605 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscle motor-evoked potentials are commonly monitored during brain tumour surgery in motor areas, as these are assumed to reflect the integrity of descending motor pathways, including the corticospinal tract. However, while the loss of muscle motor-evoked potentials at the end of surgery is associated with long-term motor deficits (muscle motor-evoked potential-related deficits), there is increasing evidence that motor deficit can occur despite no change in muscle motor-evoked potentials (muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits), particularly after surgery of non-primary regions involved in motor control. In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence of muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits and to identify the associated brain regions. We retrospectively reviewed 125 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for peri-Rolandic lesions using intra-operative neurophysiological monitoring. Intraoperative changes in muscle motor-evoked potentials were correlated with motor outcome, assessed by the Medical Research Council scale. We performed voxel–lesion–symptom mapping to identify which resected regions were associated with short- and long-term muscle motor-evoked potential-associated motor deficits. Muscle motor-evoked potentials reductions significantly predicted long-term motor deficits. However, in more than half of the patients who experienced long-term deficits (12/22 patients), no muscle motor-evoked potential reduction was reported during surgery. Lesion analysis showed that muscle motor-evoked potential-related long-term motor deficits were associated with direct or ischaemic damage to the corticospinal tract, whereas muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits occurred when supplementary motor areas were resected in conjunction with dorsal premotor regions and the anterior cingulate. Our results indicate that long-term motor deficits unrelated to the corticospinal tract can occur more often than currently reported. As these deficits cannot be predicted by muscle motor-evoked potentials, a combination of awake and/or novel asleep techniques other than muscle motor-evoked potentials monitoring should be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Giampiccolo
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristiano Parisi
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Pietro Meneghelli
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Tramontano
- Division of Neurology and Intraoperative Neurophysiology Unit, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Federica Basaldella
- Division of Neurology and Intraoperative Neurophysiology Unit, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco Pasetto
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Giampietro Pinna
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Luigi Cattaneo
- CIMEC-Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Francesco Sala
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University Hospital, Verona, Italy
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166
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Ortelli P, Ferrazzoli D, Sebastianelli L, Engl M, Romanello R, Nardone R, Bonini I, Koch G, Saltuari L, Quartarone A, Oliviero A, Kofler M, Versace V. Neuropsychological and neurophysiological correlates of fatigue in post-acute patients with neurological manifestations of COVID-19: Insights into a challenging symptom. J Neurol Sci 2020; 420:117271. [PMID: 33359928 PMCID: PMC7834526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
More than half of patients who recover from COVID-19 experience fatigue. We studied fatigue using neuropsychological and neurophysiological investigations in post-COVID-19 patients and healthy subjects. Neuropsychological assessment included: Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Fatigue Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Apathy Evaluation Scale, cognitive tests, and computerized tasks. Neurophysiological examination was assessed before (PRE) and 2 min after (POST) a 1-min fatiguing isometric pinching task and included: maximum compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude in first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) following ulnar nerve stimulation, resting motor threshold, motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and silent period (SP) duration in right FDI following transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left motor cortex. Maximum pinch strength was measured. Perceived exertion was assessed with the Borg-Category-Ratio scale. Patients manifested fatigue, apathy, executive deficits, impaired cognitive control, and reduction in global cognition. Perceived exertion was higher in patients. CMAP and MEP were smaller in patients both PRE and POST. CMAP did not change in either group from PRE to POST, while MEP amplitudes declined in controls POST. SP duration did not differ between groups PRE, increased in controls but decreased in patients POST. Patients' change of SP duration from PRE to POST was negatively correlated to FSS. Abnormal SP shortening and lack of MEP depression concur with a reduction in post-exhaustion corticomotor inhibition, suggesting a possible GABAB-ergic dysfunction. This impairment might be related to the neuropsychological alterations. COVID-19-associated inflammation might lead to GABAergic impairment, possibly representing the basis of fatigue and explaining apathy and executive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Ortelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy.
| | - Davide Ferrazzoli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Luca Sebastianelli
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Michael Engl
- Medical Director, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Roberto Romanello
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital (SABES-ASDAA), Merano-Meran, Italy; Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Center, Paracelsus University Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ilenia Bonini
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Leopold Saltuari
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- Department of Biomedical Science and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Italy; IRCCS Centro "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Oliviero
- FENNSI Group, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Servicio de Salud de Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Markus Kofler
- Department of Neurology, Hochzirl Hospital, Zirl, Austria
| | - Viviana Versace
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital of Vipiteno (SABES-ASDAA), Vipiteno-Sterzing, Italy
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167
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Scarpina F, Bruno V, Rabuffetti M, Priano L, Tagini S, Gindri P, Mauro A, Garbarini F. Drawing lines and circles in Parkinson's Disease: The lateralized symptoms interfere with the movements of the unaffected hand. Neuropsychologia 2020; 151:107718. [PMID: 33309678 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Evidence about altered bimanual coordination has been reported in Parkinson's Disease. However, no previous study has explored such an alteration quantifying the interference effect that the trajectory of each hand might impose on the other one. Thus, in the present research, we applied the traditional Circles-Lines Coupling Task, which allowed assessing the motor coordination of the two hands, in the context of Parkinson's Disease. METHODS Thirty-six individuals affected by Parkinson's Disease were consecutively recruited and assigned to two groups according to their symptoms' lateralization. Moreover, eighteen age-matched healthy controls participated in the study. We capitalized on the Circles-Lines Coupling Task, in which the performance during incongruent movements (drawing lines with one hand and circles with the other hand) was compared with the performance during congruent movements (drawing lines with both hands). A bimanual coupling index was computed to compare the interference effect of each hand on the other one. RESULTS In healthy controls, the bimanual coupling index did not differ between the two hands. Crucially, in both groups of individuals affected by Parkinson's Disease, the less affected hand showed a significantly higher bimanual coupling index, due to the abnormal interference exerted by the most affected one, than vice versa. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlighted an altered spatial bimanual coupling in Parkinson's disease, depending on the symptoms' lateralization. We offered different explanations of our results according to the theoretical frameworks about the mechanisms subserving bimanual coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Scarpina
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Italy; Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Piancavallo, VCO, Italy.
| | - Valentina Bruno
- MANIBUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy
| | | | - Lorenzo Priano
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Italy; Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Piancavallo, VCO, Italy
| | - Sofia Tagini
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Piancavallo, VCO, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mauro
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Italy; Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Piancavallo, VCO, Italy
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168
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Ferrari C, Polito C, Berti V, Lombardi G, Lucidi G, Bessi V, Bagnoli S, Piaceri I, Nacmias B, Sorbi S. High Frequency of Crossed Aphasia in Dextral in an Italian Cohort of Patients with Logopenic Primary Progressive Aphasia. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:1089-1096. [PMID: 31683481 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) has been described as a neurodegenerative language disorder mainly affecting the left hemisphere. Few cases of right hemisphere damage in right-handed PPA subjects have been reported. This condition, named crossed aphasia in dextral (CAD), is relatively rare and probably related to an alteration during neurodevelopment of language networks. OBJECTIVE To explore the prevalence of CAD in an Italian cohort of 68 PPA patients, in order to evaluate whether right hemisphere language lateralization could be a risk factor for PPA. METHODS Clinical-demographic and cerebral [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG-PET) scan were analyzed, resulting in 23 logopenic variant (lvPPA) patients, 26 non-fluent variant (nfvPPA) patients, and 19 semantic variant (svPPA) patients. SPM single subject routine was performed for diagnostic purposes in order to identify the hypometabolic pattern of each patient. Based on brain metabolic profile, PPA patients were divided in right and left lvPPA, nfvPPA, and svPPA. [18F]FDG-PET group analyses were performed with SPM two-sample t-test routine. RESULTS 26% of lvPPA cases were identified as CAD based on right hypometabolic pattern. CAD patients did not differ from left lvPPA regarding demographic features and general cognitive performance; however, they performed better in specific working memory tasks and showed brain hypometabolism limited to the superior, middle, and supramarginal temporal gyri. CONCLUSION Atypical lateralization of language function could determine a vulnerability of the phonological language loop and in that way could be a risk factor for lvPPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ferrari
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Polito
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences "Mario Serio", Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Valentina Berti
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences "Mario Serio", Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gemma Lombardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Lucidi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
| | - Valentina Bessi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Bagnoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Irene Piaceri
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Benedetta Nacmias
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Sandro Sorbi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
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169
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Danese A, Federico A, Martini A, Mantovani E, Zucchella C, Tagliapietra M, Tamburin S, Cavallaro T, Marafioti V, Monaco S, Turri G. QTc Prolongation in Patients with Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Neuropsychological and Brain Imaging Correlations. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:1241-1249. [PMID: 31683480 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The QTc interval is the electrocardiographic manifestation of ventricular depolarization and repolarization. This marker is often prolonged in acute and chronic neurological conditions. The cause of the cerebrogenic QT prolongation remains unclear. The aim of the study was to analyze the relation between QTc interval and the degree of cognitive impairment and structural brain imaging changes in patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To this aim, 269 patients were screened, of whom 61 met one or more exclusion criteria. The remaining 208 patients (56 control subjects, 44 patients with MCI, and 108 with dementia) were recruited. Eighty-five patients using drugs causing prolongation of QT interval were further excluded. The QT interval was measured manually in all 12 leads by a single blinded observer, assuming the longest QT value adjusted for heart rate by using the Bazett's formula. All patients underwent a structural brain imaging and the following measures were obtained: the bicaudate ratio and the periventricular hyperintensity and deep white matter hyperintensity using the modified Fazekas scale. Prolonged QTc interval was prevalent in 1) patients with dementia, especially in those with moderate-severe degree; 2) subjects with impairment of praxis and attention, low functional status, and behavioral symptoms; 3) patients with global and temporal atrophy and with higher scores on the Fazekas or leukoaraiosis scales. Degenerative and vascular processes might play a main role in QTc interval prolongation because of the damage to brain areas involved in the control of the autonomic cardiac nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Danese
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Angela Federico
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alice Martini
- School of Psychology, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom
| | - Elisa Mantovani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Zucchella
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Matteo Tagliapietra
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Tamburin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Tiziana Cavallaro
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Marafioti
- Cardiovascular and Thoracic Department, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Salvatore Monaco
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Turri
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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170
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Franchini F, Musicco M, Ratto F, Storti G, Shofany J, Caltagirone C, Di Santo SG. The LIBRA Index in Relation to Cognitive Function, Functional Independence, and Psycho-Behavioral Symptoms in a Sample of Non-Institutionalized Seniors at Risk of Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:717-731. [PMID: 31640092 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease is the principal cause of dementia and is determined, in at least one third cases, by modifiable risk factors (MRF). The "Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA)" index was recently developed to quantify the individual risk of progression to dementia ascribable to MRF. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the association between LIBRA scores and markers of cognitive performance, functional independence, and psycho-behavioral symptoms in a community-based sample of Italian elders. METHODS 308 senior participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD) were evaluated with a complete neuropsychological battery and semi-structured interviews for the assessment of depression, apathy, and functional autonomy. All the 12 LIBRA MRF were available for the calculation of LIBRA scores. A modified version of the index (LIBRA-2) was calculated by removing depression weight from the LIBRA index. Partial correlation analyses, controlling for age and education, assessed the association between LIBRA indices and cognitive, functional, and behavioral outcomes. Separate analyses were repeated in the MCI and SCD subgroups. RESULTS In participants with SCD (SCDp), significant correlations existed between LIBRA and markers of impairment in global cognition, visuo-spatial attention, and semantic fluency. LIBRA-2 associated with psycho-behavioral symptoms in the whole sample and in SCDp. LIBRA-2 only associated with apathy in the MCI subgroup. CONCLUSIONS The LIBRA index might be useful to determine the lifestyle-attributable risk of cognitive and psycho-behavioral decline in Italian seniors at risk, while in those with overt cognitive impairment, these outcomes are presumably mainly associated with non-modifiable factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaminia Franchini
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Musicco
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Ratto
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Storti
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Jacob Shofany
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Gabriella Di Santo
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
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171
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Vaccaro MG, Sarica A, Quattrone A, Chiriaco C, Salsone M, Morelli M, Quattrone A. Neuropsychological assessment could distinguish among different clinical phenotypes of progressive supranuclear palsy: A Machine Learning approach. J Neuropsychol 2020; 15:301-318. [PMID: 33231380 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare, rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease. Richardson's syndrome (PSP-RS) and predominant parkinsonism (PSP-P) are characterized by wide range of cognitive and behavioural disturbances, but these variants show similar cognitive pattern of alterations, leading difficult differential diagnosis. For this reason, we explored with an Artificial Intelligence approach, whether cognitive impairment could differentiate the phenotypes. Forty Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, 25 PSP-P, 40 PSP-RS, and 34 controls were enrolled following the consensus criteria diagnosis. Participants were evaluated with neuropsychological battery for cognitive domains. Random Forest models were used for exploring the discriminant power of the cognitive tests in distinguishing among the four groups. The classifiers for distinguishing diseases from controls reached high accuracies (86% for PD, 95% for PSP-P, 99% for PSP-RS). Regarding the differential diagnosis, PD was discriminated from PSP-P with 91% (important variables: HAMA, MMSE, JLO, RAVLT_I, BDI-II) and from PSP-RS with 92% (important variables: COWAT, JLO, FAB). PSP-P was distinguished from PSP-RS with 84% (important variables: JLO, WCFST, RAVLT_I, Digit span_F). This study revealed that PSP-P, PSP-RS and PD had peculiar cognitive deficits compared with healthy subjects, from which they were discriminated with optimal accuracies. Moreover, high accuracies were reached also in differential diagnosis. Most importantly, Machine Learning resulted to be useful to the clinical neuropsychologist in choosing the most appropriate neuropsychological tests for the cognitive evaluation of PSP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grazia Vaccaro
- Neuroscience Research Center, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy.,Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Neurology, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy.,Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Alessia Sarica
- Neuroscience Research Center, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Andrea Quattrone
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Neurology, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Carmelina Chiriaco
- Neuroscience Research Center, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Maria Salsone
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurology-Sleep Disorder Center, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Morelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Neurology, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Aldo Quattrone
- Neuroscience Research Center, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy.,Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy
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172
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Rossini PM, Cappa SF, Lattanzio F, Perani D, Spadin P, Tagliavini F, Vanacore N. The Italian INTERCEPTOR Project: From the Early Identification of Patients Eligible for Prescription of Antidementia Drugs to a Nationwide Organizational Model for Early Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:373-388. [PMID: 31594234 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder and its burden on patients, families, and society grows significantly with lifespan. Early modifications of risk-enhancing lifestyles and treatment initiation expand personal autonomy and reduce management costs. Many clinical trials with potentially disease-modifying drugs are devoted to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) prodromal-to-Alzheimer's disease. The identification of biomarkers for early diagnosis may thus be crucial for early intervention and identification of high-risk subjects, the most appropriate target of new drugs as soon as they will be discovered. INTERCEPTOR is a strategic project by the Italian Ministry of Health and the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), aiming to validate the best combination (highly accurate, non-invasive, available on the whole national territory and financially sustainable) of biomarkers and organizational model for early diagnosis. 500 MCI subjects will be enrolled at baseline and followed-up for 3 years for at least 400 of them in order to define a "hub & spoke" nationwide model with recruiting (spokes) centers for MCI identification and expert (hubs) centers for risk diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Maria Rossini
- Area of Neuroscience, University Policlinic A. Gemelli Foundation-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano F Cappa
- University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,IRCCS St. John of God, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Perani
- Nuclear Medicine Unit and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Spadin
- President "Associazione Italiana Malattia di Alzheimer" - AIMA, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Vanacore
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
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173
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Abstract
White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) have been associated with neurological complications including cognitive impairment. WMHs have been often described in HIV positive subjects and they have been linked to neurocognitive impairment, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) residual viral replication and biomarkers of monocyte activation. Aim of this study was to grade WMHs in HIV-positive individuals using a simple visual scale and to explore their severity with clinical, neurocognitive and biomarker characteristics. Brain MRIs were retrospectively evaluated by two reviewers who rated WMHs following the "age-related white matter changes (ARWMC)" scale. 107 adult HIV-positive patients receiving lumbar punctures for clinical reasons were included. 70 patients (66.6%) were diagnosed with WMHs. Average WMH scores were higher in treated [7 (1-11)] vs. naïve individuals [3 (0-6)] (p = 0.008). Higher WHMs scores were observed in patients with chronic renal impairment along with chronic hepatitis (naïve) and longer HIV duration (treated participants). No consistent associations between plasma, CSF biomarkers and WMHs scores were found. 45 patients underwent full neurocognitive tests and WMHs scores were non-significantly higher in patients diagnosed with HAND [6.5 (0.5-8.3) vs. 1.5 (0-7), p = 0.165]; screening (IHDS and FAB), visuo-spatial (Corsi's) and auditory-verbal memory (disillabic words repetition) tests scored worse in patients with higher WMHs. In our population of HIV-positive patients with low CD4 nadir and partial CD4 cell recovery the burden of WMHs was associated with the duration of HIV infection and with commonly observed comorbidities (such as renal and hepatic impairment). Given the association with worse neurocognition, further studies on tailored interventions are needed.
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174
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Cognitive and linguistic outcomes after awake craniotomy in patients with high-grade gliomas. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2020; 198:106089. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2020.106089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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175
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Executive Functions Are Associated with Fall Risk but not Balance in Chronic Cerebrovascular Disease. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9113405. [PMID: 33114243 PMCID: PMC7690867 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9113405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older people's deficits in executive functions (EF) have been shown to lead to higher fall risk, postural sway, and reduced speed. Crucially, EF impairments are even more pronounced in individuals with chronic cerebrovascular disease (CVD), namely vascular cognitive impairment. METHODS In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we used a complete neuropsychological battery, including the Trail Making Test (TMT) and physical measures, such as the Morse fall and EQUI scales, to assess 66 individuals with chronic CVD. Linear regressions, Bayesian analyses, and model selection were performed to see the impact of EF, global cognition, and vascular parkinsonism/hemiplegia on physical measures (fall risk and balance). RESULTS The TMT part B and BA correlated (r = 0.44 and r = 0.45) with Morse fall scale. Only EF significantly explained fall risk, whereas global cognition and vascular parkinsonism/hemiplegia did not. These findings were confirmed by Bayesian evidence and parsimony model selection. Balance was not significantly correlated with any of the neuropsychological tests. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study investigating the relationship between cognitive and physical measures in a sample of older people with chronic CVD. The results are consistent with previous findings that link EF with fall risk in CVD.
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176
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Riva G, Mancuso V, Cavedoni S, Stramba-Badiale C. Virtual reality in neurorehabilitation: a review of its effects on multiple cognitive domains. Expert Rev Med Devices 2020; 17:1035-1061. [PMID: 32962433 DOI: 10.1080/17434440.2020.1825939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurological diseases frequently cause adult-onset disability and have increased the demand for rehabilitative interventions. Neurorehabilitation has been progressively relying on computer-assisted programs and, more recently, on virtual reality (VR). Current reviews explore VR-based neurorehabilitation for assessing and treating the most common neurological pathologies. However, none of them explored specifically the impact of VR on multiple cognitive domains. AREAS COVERED The present work is a review of 6 years of literature (2015-2020) on VR in neurorehabilitation with the purpose of analyzing its effects on memory, attention, executive functions, language, and visuospatial ability. EXPERT OPINION Our review suggests that VR-based neurorehabilitation showed encouraging results for executive functions and visuospatial abilities particularly for both acute and neurodegenerative conditions. Conversely, memory, and attention outcomes are conflicting, and language did not show significant improvements following VR-based rehabilitation. Within five years, it is plausible that VR-based intervention would be provided in standalone and mobile-based platforms that won't need a PC to work, with reduced latency and improved user interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart , Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Mancuso
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Cavedoni
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Stramba-Badiale
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
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177
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D'Antonio F, De Bartolo MI, Ferrazzano G, Trebbastoni A, Amicarelli S, Campanelli A, de Lena C, Berardelli A, Conte A. Somatosensory Temporal Discrimination Threshold in Patients with Cognitive Disorders. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 70:425-432. [PMID: 31177234 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The temporal processing of sensory information can be evaluated by testing the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT), which is defined as the shortest interstimulus interval needed to recognize two sequential sensory stimuli as separate in time. The STDT requires the functional integrity of the basal ganglia and of the somatosensory cortex (S1). Although there is evidence that time processing is impaired in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), no study has yet investigated STDT in patients with various degree of cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to understand how cognition and attention deficits affect STDT values in patients with cognitive abnormalities. METHODS We enrolled 63 patients: 28 had mild-moderate AD, 16 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the remaining 19 had subjective cognitive deficit (SCD). A group of 45 age-matched healthy subjects acted as controls. Paired tactile stimuli for STDT testing consisted of square-wave electrical pulses delivered with a constant current stimulator through surface electrodes over the distal phalanx of the index finger. RESULTS STDT values were higher in AD and MCI patients than in SCD subjects or healthy controls. Changes in the STDT in AD and MCI were similar in both conditions and did not correlate with disease severity. CONCLUSIONS STDT alterations in AD and MCI may reflect a dysfunction of the dopaminergic system, which signals salient events and includes the striatum and the mesocortical and mesolimbic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia D'Antonio
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome Italy.,PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Sara Amicarelli
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome Italy
| | | | - Carlo de Lena
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome Italy
| | - Alfredo Berardelli
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome Italy.,IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Antonella Conte
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome Italy.,IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
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178
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Belli E, Nicoletti V, Radicchi C, Bonaccorsi J, Cintoli S, Ceravolo R, Tognoni G. Confabulations in Cases of Dementia: Atypical Early Sign of Alzheimer’s Disease or Misleading Feature in Dementia Diagnosis? Front Psychol 2020; 11:553886. [PMID: 33117224 PMCID: PMC7550794 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.553886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Confabulations, also known as false memories, have been associated with various diseases involving mainly the frontal areas, such as Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome or frontal epilepsy. The neuropsychological dysfunctions underlying mechanisms of confabulation are not well known. We describe two patients with memory impairment and confabulations at the onset speculating about neuropsychological correlates of confabulations and self-awareness. Both patients, a 77-year-old woman and a 57-years-old man, exhibited confabulations as first symptom of cognitive decline. She later developed memory impairment without awareness of her memory deficits and her cognitive and imaging profile suggested an amnesic mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Unlike her, he developed a prevalent involvement of frontal functions despite a clear consciousness of his cognitive deficits. However, the clinical diagnostic hypothesis of behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia was not supported by imaging findings, which suggested AD. Both patients underwent neuropsychological evaluation including the Confabulation Battery. Despite that the exact anatomical correlation of confabulations is still not defined, imaging data shown by our patients is consistent with recent theories according to which at the origin of confabulatory tendency in AD there is an impairment of the connections between crucial hubs in frontal and mediotemporal areas, mainly involving the right hemisphere. Besides, it would be reasonable to hypothesize that self-awareness and confabulations should not be considered as necessarily associated dimensions.
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179
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Pisano F, Caltagirone C, Satriano F, Perri R, Fadda L, Marangolo P. Can Alzheimer's Disease Be Prevented? First Evidence from Spinal Stimulation Efficacy on Executive Functions. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 77:1755-1764. [PMID: 32925066 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, a growing body of evidence has shown that, from the early stage of impairment, Alzheimer's patients (AD) present difficulties on a variety of tasks mostly relying on executive functions. These strongly impact their daily life activities causing a severe loss of independency and autonomy. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of transpinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) combined with cognitive trainings for improving attentional and executive function abilities in a group of AD patients. METHODS In a randomized-double blind design, sixteen AD patients underwent different cognitive trainings combined with tsDCS. During the treatment, each subject received tsDCS (20 min, 2 mA) over the thoracic vertebrae (IX-X vertebrae) in two different conditions: 1) anodal, and 2) sham while performing three computerized tasks: alertness, selective attention, and executive functions. Each experimental condition was run in ten consecutive daily sessions over two weeks. RESULTS After anodal tsDCS, a greater improvement in executive functions compared to sham condition was found. More importantly, the follow-up testing revealed that these effects lasted over 1 month after the intervention and generalized to the different neuropsychological tests administered before, after the treatment and at one month after the end of the intervention. This generalization was present also in the attentional domain. CONCLUSION This evidence emphasizes, for the first time, that tsDCS combined with cognitive training results efficacious for AD patients. We hypothesize that enhancing activity into the spinal sensorimotor pathways through stimulation improved cognitive abilities which rely on premotor activity, such as attention and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pisano
- Department of Humanities studies - University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Paola Marangolo
- Department of Humanities studies - University Federico II, Naples, Italy.,IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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180
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Linguistic profiles, brain metabolic patterns and rates of amyloid-β biomarker positivity in patients with mixed primary progressive aphasia. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 96:155-164. [PMID: 33010672 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to detail language profiles, brain metabolic patterns and proportion of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in a cohort of patients with mixed primary progressive aphasia (mPPA). We considered 58 patients with PPA: 10 with non-fluent/agrammatic variant (nfvPPA), 16 with semantic variant (svPPA), 21 with logopenic variant (lvPPA) and 9 with mPPA. Patients with mPPA were further classified as 4 nf/lvPPA (with prevailing features for nfvPPA and lvPPA) and 5 s/lvPPA (with prevailing features for svPPA and lvPPA). Nf/lvPPA patients were characterized by higher proportion of Naming impairment compared to nfvPPA and more frequent Grammatical Errors and Phonologic Errors than lvPPA. S/lvPPA had higher proportion of impairment in Sentences Repetition compared to svPPA and in Single-word Comprehension compared to lvPPA. 100% of nf/lvPPA and 40% of s/lvPPA had Aβ positive biomarkers. Brain hypometabolic pattern in Nf/lvPPA was consistent with lvPPA, while s/lvPPA had a brain metabolism resembling svPPA. We concluded that nf/lvPPA patients might be considered as PPA variant due to Alzheimer's disease and s/lvPPA group mainly included patients with svPPA.
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181
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Connected speech in progressive supranuclear palsy: a possible role in differential diagnosis. Neurol Sci 2020; 42:1483-1490. [PMID: 32851538 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04635-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is an atypical Parkinsonism characterized by motor and neuropsycological disorders. Language could be impaired in PSP patients, also in Richardson variant (PSP-RS). The analysis of connected speech is used in neurodegenerative disorder to investigate different levels of language organization, including phonetic, phonological, lexico-semantic, morpho-syntactic, and pragmatic processing. OBJECTIVE In our study, we aimed to investigate the language profile, especially connected speech, in early-stage PSP-RS and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients without predominant speech or language disorders. METHODS Language was assessed using the Screening for Aphasia in NeuroDegeneration (SAND); connected speech analysis was conducted from the picture description subtest. RESULTS We enrolled 48 patients, 22 PD and 26 PSP (18 PSP-RS and 8 non-RS). PSP-RS patients presented an impairment in language domain, particularly regarding connected speech. PSP-RS patients presented worse performances than PD in different scores. The output of PSP-RS patients was characterized by a reduction in number of sentences and subordinates with respect to PD; PSP presented also more repaired sequences and phonological and lexico-semantic errors than PD. Number of sentences and number of subordinates of the picture description task were identified as predictors of PSP diagnosis. CONCLUSION In summary, the SAND scale is able to identify language impairment in PSP patients. The analysis of connected speech could highlight some important aspects of language impairment in PSP-RS patients, and it could be helpful in the differential diagnosis with PD.
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182
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and neurological defects. Ann Hepatol 2020; 18:563-570. [PMID: 31080056 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be considered one of the most common causes of liver disease in our days and is regarded as one of the newest vascular risk factors for cerebrovascular and other neurological diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied a group of neurological outpatients, divided into two homogenous groups based on the presence or absence of NAFLD. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We testified an independent relationship between NAFLD and common vascular risk factors (age, sex, educational level, BMI, cholesterol and lipid assessment, Hb1ac). At the same time, we ascertained an independent relationship between NAFLD and more recently recognized vascular risk factors, such as lack of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D-OH25, and increased levels of homocysteine. Finally, we have documented that NAFLD showed worse executive and frontal functions, and behavioral changes, such as depressive mood and anxiety, and apathy.
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183
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Ciberti A, Cavalletti M, Palagini L, Mariani MG, Dell'Osso L, Mauri M, Maglio A, Mucci F, Marazziti D, Miniati M. Decision-Making, Impulsiveness and Temperamental Traits in Eating Disorders. CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2020; 17:199-208. [PMID: 34908995 PMCID: PMC8629064 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20200401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore decision-making, impulsiveness and temperamental traits in patients suffering from eating disorders (EDs), as compared with healthy controls (HC). METHOD Fifty-one patients affected by ED (fourteen with anorexia restricting subtype, AN-R; fourteen with bulimia, BN; thirteen with anorexia bingeing/purging subtype, AN-BP; ten with binge-eating disorder, BED) and twenty-eight HC. The patients, recruited at the Section of Psychiatry of the University of Pisa (Italy, were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychological questionnaires, including the IOWA Gambling Task (IGT), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). RESULTS The results indicated that AN-R, AN-BP and BN patients showed poorer IGT performances than HC (p < .05), while BED performances were similar to those of HC. IGT scores suggested the existence of similarities in decision-making performances of AN-BP and BN patients, as they performed differently from HC starting from block 3 (F(16.2)=1.7). In addition, differences between AN-BP/BN and AN-R patients were detected, given that they performed differently starting from block 4. As far as BIS-11 is concerned, AN-BP and BN patients reached the highest BIS total scores, when compared with the other groups. Further, they shared similar temperamental and impulsiveness profiles, as demonstrated by their BIS-11 'motor impulsiveness' scores, and by their TCI 'novelty seeking', 'reward dependence' and 'persistence' dimensions. The post-hoc analyses revealed that both AN groups (namely, AN-R and AN-BP) scored significantly lower than HC on the FAB. No patients fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of a current major depression. CONCLUSIONS Decision-making deficits are common in EDs. In AN-R these seem related to cognitive styles, while in AN-BP and BN patients with temperament features and impulsiveness traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Ciberti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Laura Palagini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Mauro Mauri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Maglio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
| | - Federico Mucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.,Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.,Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy.,Brain Research Foundation, Lucca, Italy
| | - Mario Miniati
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy
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184
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Cappellari M, Forlivesi S, Zucchella C, Valbusa V, Sajeva G, Musso AM, Micheletti N, Tomelleri G, Bovi T, Bonetti B, Bovi P. Factors influencing cognitive performance after 1-year treatment with direct oral anticoagulant in patients with atrial fibrillation and previous ischemic stroke: a pilot study. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2020; 51:767-778. [PMID: 32728909 DOI: 10.1007/s11239-020-02233-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Anticoagulant treatment as stroke prevention, particularly direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC), may reduce the risk of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess factors influencing cognitive performance after 1-year treatment with DOAC in patients with AF and previous ischemic stroke. We recruited 33 ischemic stroke patients who were discharged from Verona Stroke Unit with diagnosis of AF and prescription of treatment with DOAC. For each cognitive test, we estimated the effect of T0 (first session) variables on T1 (1-year session) cognitive performance using ordinal logistic regression fitted to a 1 point-shift from 4 to 0 on ESs. The effect of T0 clinical variables was presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjustment for T0 total score of the corresponding cognitive test. Sustained AF (OR: 4.259, 95% CI 1.071-16.942) and ischemic heart disease (OR: 6.654, 95% CI 1.329-33.300) showed a significant effect on T1 MoCA Test; congestive heart failure on T1 RAVLT Immediate recall (OR: 9.128, 95% CI 1.055-78.995), T1 RAVLT Delayed recall (OR: 7.134, 95% CI 1.214-52.760), and T1 Trail Making Test (Part A) (OR: 16.989, 95% CI 1.765-163.565); sustained AF (OR: 5.055, 95% CI 1.224-20.878) and hyperlipidemia (OR: 4.764, 95% CI 1.175-19.310) on T1 Digit span forward Test; ischemic heart disease (aOR: 8.460, 95% CI 1.364-52.471) on T1 Stroop Color and Word Test (time); Dabigatran use (aOR: 0.084, 95% CI 0.013-0.544) on FAB; age ≥ 75 years (aOR: 0.058, 95% CI 0.006-0.563) and hyperlipidemia (aOR: 5.809, 95% CI 1.059-31.870) on T1 Phonemic word fluency Test; female sex (aOR: 6.105, 95% CI 1.146-32.519), hyperlipidemia (aOR: 21.099, 95% CI 2.773-160.564), total Modified Fazekas Scale score > 1 (aOR: 78.530, 95% CI 3.131-1969.512) on Semantic word fluency Test. Sustained AF, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, hyperlipidemia, and female sex were the factors influencing cognitive performance after 1-year treatment with DOAC in patients with AF and previous ischemic stroke. Modified Fazekas Scale score in the first session was the only radiological variable that had a significant effect on cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Cappellari
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy.
| | - Stefano Forlivesi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Neurology and Stroke Unit, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Zucchella
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Valeria Valbusa
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Sajeva
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Musso
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Micheletti
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Tomelleri
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Tommaso Bovi
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Bruno Bonetti
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Paolo Bovi
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
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185
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Han M, Kim DY, Leigh JH, Kim MW. Value of the Frontal Assessment Battery Tool for Assessing the Frontal Lobe Function in Stroke Patients. Ann Rehabil Med 2020; 44:261-272. [PMID: 32721991 PMCID: PMC7463112 DOI: 10.5535/arm.19111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the correlation between the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) test, which is used to assess the frontal lobe function, and anatomical lesions as well as the ability of the test to detect frontal lobe dysfunction. METHODS Records of stroke patients undergoing a FAB test and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into three groups according to the lesions determined by an imaging study: frontal lobe cortex lesions, frontal subcortical circuit lesions, and other lesions. The FAB scores of the three groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The validity of the FAB test to detect frontal lobe dysfunction was assessed by a comparison with the Computerized Neuropsychological Function Test (CNT) using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficients between the FAB test and MMSE were analyzed further based on the MMSE cutoff score. RESULTS Patients with frontal cortex lesions had significantly lower total and subtest scores according to the FAB test than the other patients. The FAB test correlated better with the CNT than the MMSE, particularly in the executive function and memory domains. A high MMSE score (r=0.435) indicated a lower correlation with the FAB test score than a low MMSE score (r=0.714). CONCLUSION The FAB test could differentiate frontal lobe lesions from others in stroke patients and showed a good correlation with the CNT. Moreover, the FAB test can be used in patients with high MMSE scores to detect frontal lobe dysfunction and determine the treatment strategies for stroke patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihyang Han
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon Hospital of Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Incheon, Korea
| | - Da-Ye Kim
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea
| | - Ja-Ho Leigh
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon Hospital of Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Incheon, Korea
| | - Min-Wook Kim
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea
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186
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Russo M, Bonanno C, Profazio C, La Foresta S, Faraone C, Lizio A, Vita GL, Sframeli M, Aricò I, Ruggeri P, Toscano A, Vita G, Lunetta C, Messina S. Which are the factors influencing NIV adaptation and tolerance in ALS patients? Neurol Sci 2020; 42:1023-1029. [PMID: 32710206 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multisystemic disease compromising both the neuromuscular system and the cognitive status. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been shown to improve survival and quality of life in ALS patients with respiratory failure, but scanty literature investigated which are the predictors of NIV tolerance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of functional, cognitive, neurobehavioral, and respiratory status on NIV compliance and tolerance in patients with ALS. We retrospectively evaluated clinical data of ALS patients who consecutively underwent a NIV trial during hospitalization. Cognitive and neurobehavioral assessments have been performed using the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Raven's 47 Colored Progressive Matrices (PM47), and the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale Revised (NRSR). Seventy-two patients (mean age ± SD; 63.9 ± 10.6 years) were included. Patients adapted were 63/72 (87.5%). The average time of adaptation was 7.82 ± 5.27 days. The time required to reach a satisfying NIV adaptation was significantly related to the presence of sialorrhea (p = 0.02), respiratory status (Borg Dyspnoea Scale, p = 0.006, and ALS-FRS-R respiratory subscore, p = 0.03) and behavioral and cognitive impairment (NRSR-F1, p = 0.04, NRSR- F5, p = 0.04). Presence of sialorrhea and neurobehavioral impairment, and absence of respiratory symptoms are negative predictors of NIV adaptation. This study highlights the need of a multidisciplinary patient-tailored approach including cognitive-behavioral assessment and a psychological support program to optimize patient's training and compliance to NIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Russo
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Carmen Bonanno
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Claudia Profazio
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Stefania La Foresta
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Cristina Faraone
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Andrea Lizio
- NEuroMuscular Omnicenter, Serena Onlus Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Vita
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Sframeli
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Irene Aricò
- Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Ruggeri
- Pulmonology Unit, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences, Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Toscano
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vita
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. .,Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
| | | | - Sonia Messina
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Nemo Sud Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, University Hospital "G. Martino", Messina, Italy
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187
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Prinelli F, Jesuthasan N, Severgnini M, Musicco M, Adorni F, Correa Leite ML, Crespi C, Bernini S. Exploring the relationship between Nutrition, gUT microbiota, and BRain AgINg in community-dwelling seniors: the Italian NutBrain population-based cohort study protocol. BMC Geriatr 2020; 20:253. [PMID: 32703186 PMCID: PMC7376643 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01652-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Epidemiological evidence suggests that healthy diet is associated with a slowdown of cognitive decline leading to dementia, but the underlying mechanisms are still partially unexplored. Diet is the main determinant of gut microbiota composition, which in turn impacts on brain structures and functions, however to date no studies on this topic are available. The goal of the present paper is to describe the design and methodology of the NutBrain Study aimed at investigating the association of dietary habits with cognitive function and their role in modulating the gut microbiota composition, and brain measures as well. Methods/design This is a population-based cohort study of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or more living in Northern Milan, Italy. At the point of presentation people are screened for cognitive functions. Socio-demographic characteristics along with lifestyles and dietary habits, medical history, drugs, functional status, and anthropometric measurements are also recorded. Individuals suspected to have cognitive impairment at the screening phase undergo a clinical evaluation including a neurological examination and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning (both structural and functional). Stool and blood samples for the gut microbiota analysis and for the evaluation of putative biological markers are also collected. For each subject with a confirmed diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), two cognitively intact controls of the same sex and age are visited. We intend to enrol at least 683 individuals for the screening phase and 240 persons for the clinical assessment. Discussion The NutBrain is an innovative study that incorporates modern and advanced technologies (i.e. microbiome and neuroimaging) into traditional epidemiologic design. The study represents a unique opportunity to address key questions about the role of modifiable risk factors on cognitive impairment, with a particular focus on dietary habits and their association with gut microbiota and markers of the brain-aging process. These findings will help to encourage and plan lifestyle interventions, for both prevention and treatment, aiming at promoting healthy cognitive ageing. Trial registration Trial registration number NCT04461951, date of registration July 7, 2020 (retrospectively registered, ClinicalTrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Prinelli
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy. .,IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Neuropsychology/Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Unit, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Nithiya Jesuthasan
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Marco Severgnini
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Massimo Musicco
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Fulvio Adorni
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Maria Lea Correa Leite
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies-National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi, 93 20090, Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Chiara Crespi
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Nets Center, Piazza della Vittoria, 15 -, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Bernini
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Neuropsychology/Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Unit, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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188
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Boccia M, Di Vita A, Diana S, Margiotta R, Imbriano L, Rendace L, Campanelli A, D'Antonio F, Trebbastoni A, de Lena C, Piccardi L, Guariglia C. Is Losing One's Way a Sign of Cognitive Decay? Topographical Memory Deficit as an Early Marker of Pathological Aging. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 68:679-693. [PMID: 30883347 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Spatial navigation tasks reveal small differences between normal and pathological aging and may thus disclose potential neuropsychological predictors of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate which navigational skills are compromised in the early phase of pathological aging as well as the extent to which they are compromised. We performed an extensive neuropsychological evaluation based on working memory and learning tasks (i.e., Corsi Block-Tapping Test and Walking Corsi Test) involving both reaching and navigational vista spaces. We also assessed spatial navigation skills in the real world by asking participants to perform route-learning and landmark-recognition tasks. We conducted a cross-sectional study on nineteen patients with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who displayed either an isolated memory deficit (single-domain amnestic MCI, MCIsd; N = 3) or a memory deficit associated with deficits in other cognitive functions (multi-domain MCI, MCImd; N = 16) as well as on nineteen healthy control participants. The groups' performances were compared by means of mixed factorial ANOVA and two-sample t-tests. We found that patients with MCI performed worse than controls, especially when they were required to learn spatial positions within the navigational vista space. Route-learning within the real environment was also impaired whereas landmark-recognition was spared. The same pattern of results emerged in the MCImd subgroup. Moreover, single case analyses on MCIsd patients revealed a dissociation between learning of spatial positions within navigational vista space and within reaching space. These results suggest that topographical learning is compromised in the early phase of MCIsd and MCImd and that spatial navigation tasks may be used to better characterize topographical disorientation in MCI patients as well as for the early diagnosis of pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddalena Boccia
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Di Vita
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sofia Diana
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Margiotta
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Imbriano
- Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lidia Rendace
- Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Fabrizia D'Antonio
- Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Carlo de Lena
- Department of Human Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Piccardi
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, L'Aquila University, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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189
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Psychomotor speed as a predictor of functional status in older chronic heart failure (CHF) patients attending cardiac rehabilitation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235570. [PMID: 32614895 PMCID: PMC7332048 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The association among psychological, neuropsychological dysfunctions and functional/clinical variables in Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) has been extensively addressed in literature. However, only a few studies investigated those associations in the older population. Purpose To evaluate the psychological/neuropsychological profile of older CHF patients, to explore the interrelation with clinical/functional variables and to identify potential independent predictors of patients’ functional status. Methods This study was conducted with a multi-center observational design. The following assessments were performed: anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS), cognitive impairment (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised, ACE-R), executive functions (Frontal Assessment Battery, FAB), constructive abilities (Clock Drawing Test, CDT), psychomotor speed and alternated attention (Trail Making Test, TMT-A/B), functional status (6-minute walking test, 6MWT) and clinical variables (New York Heart Association, NYHA; Brain Natriuretic Peptide, BNP; left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF; left ventricular end diastolic diameter, LVEDD; left ventricular end diastolic volume, LVEDV; tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, TAPSE). Results 100 CHF patients (mean age: 74.9±7.1 years; mean LVEF: 36.1±13.4) were included in the study. Anxious and depressive symptoms were observed in 16% and 24,5% of patients, respectively. Age was related to TMT-A and CDT (r = 0.49, p<0.001 and r = -0.32, p = 0.001, respectively), Log-BNP was related to ACE-R-Fluency subtest, (r = -0.22, p = 0.034), and 6MWT was related to ACE-R-Memory subtest and TMT-A (r = 0.24, p = 0.031 and r = -0.32, p = 0.005, respectively). Both anxiety and depression symptoms were related to ACE-R-Total score (r = -0.25, p = 0.013 and r = -0.32, p = 0.002, respectively) and depressive symptoms were related to CDT (r = -0.23, p = 0.024). At multiple regression analysis, Log-BNP and TMT-A were significant and independent predictors of functional status: worse findings on Log-BNP and TMT-A were associated with shorter distance walked at the 6MWT. Conclusions Psychological and neuropsychological screening, along with the assessment of psychomotor speed (TMT-A), may provide useful information for older CHF patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.
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190
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Mild Cognitive Impairment Subtypes and Type 2 Diabetes in Elderly Subjects. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9072055. [PMID: 32629878 PMCID: PMC7408775 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9072055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is correlated to amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and to non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment (naMCI). This study evaluated whether the T2D variable characterizes a peculiar cognitive profile in elderly patients. Moreover, it explores the association between glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c), T2D duration, insulin and oral hypoglycemic agent treatment, and cognition in elderly diabetic patients. Methods: Detailed neuropsychological battery was used to diagnose MCI subtypes. A total of 39 MCI subjects with T2D (T2D-MCI) and 37 MCI subjects without T2D (ND-MCI), matched for age, educational level, and Mini-Mental State Examination score, were included. Results: ND-MCI performed worse in memory and language domains than T2D-MCI. The amnestic subtype is more frequent among ND-MCI and non-amnestic subtype in T2D-MCI. In T2D-MCI, high HbA1c levels correlate with episodic memory (immediate recall) and T2D duration. Some indexes of episodic memory (immediate recall), attention, and visual-spatial ability correlate with insulin treatment. Conclusions: An association between T2D and non-amnestic MCI is suggested. In the T2D-MCI group, significant associations between insulin treatment and memory (immediate recall), complex figure copy, and attention were found.
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191
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Longarzo M, Cavaliere C, Mele G, Tozza S, Tramontano L, Alfano V, Aiello M, Salvatore M, Grossi D. Microstructural Changes in Motor Functional Conversion Disorder: Multimodal Imaging Approach on a Case. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10060385. [PMID: 32570773 PMCID: PMC7348696 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10060385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional motor conversion disorders are characterized by neurological symptoms unrelated to brain structural lesions. The present study was conducted on a woman presenting motor symptoms causing motor dysfunction, using advanced multimodal neuroimaging techniques, electrophysiological and neuropsychological assessment. METHODS The patient underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET-CT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with both task and resting-state paradigms and was compared with 11 healthy matched controls. To test differences in structural parameters, Bayesian comparison was performed. To test differences in functional parameters, a first- and second-level analysis was performed in task fMRI, while a seed-to-seed analysis to evaluate the connections between brain regions and identify intersubject variations was performed in resting-state fMRI. RESULTS FDG-PET showed two patterns of brain metabolism, involving the cortical and subcortical structures. Regarding the diffusion data, microstructural parameters were altered for U-shape fibers for the hand and feet regions. Resting-state analysis showed hypoconnectivity between the parahippocampal and superior temporal gyrus. Neurophysiological assessment showed no alterations. Finally, an initial cognitive impairment was observed, paralleled by an anxiety and mild depressive state. CONCLUSIONS While we confirmed no structural alterations sustaining this functional motor disorder, we report microstructural changes in sensory-motor integration for both the hand and feet regions that could functionally support clinical manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariachiara Longarzo
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Carlo Cavaliere
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +081-240-8444
| | - Giulia Mele
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Stefano Tozza
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Liberatore Tramontano
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Vincenzo Alfano
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Marco Aiello
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Marco Salvatore
- IRCCS SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80142 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (G.M.); (L.T.); (V.A.); (M.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Dario Grossi
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
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192
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Aiello M, Parma V, De Carlo S, Hummel T, Rumiati RI. Cognitive, Olfactory, and Affective Determinants of Body Weight in Aging Individuals. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2020; 34:637-647. [PMID: 30272124 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acy072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A complex interplay of factors including cognitive, sensory and affective aspects has been associated in a controversial way with anthropometric measures related to body weight. METHODS Here we propose two studies to investigate whether and how cognitive, olfactory and affective variables resulted associated with body weight during healthy aging. In Study 1, we investigated the cognitive status, the odor identification skills, and the BMI of 209 individuals (50-96 yo). In Study 2 an extensive evaluation of cognitive functions (in particular executive functions and memory), odor threshold, discrimination and identification and affective skills (i.e., depression and anxiety) was performed in a group of 35 healthy, free-living aging individuals (58-85 yo). RESULTS In Study 1, greater BMI was not associated with performance on the odor identification task but was significantly associated with better cognitive skills. In Study 2, we observed that executive functions seemed to favor a successful managing of body weight, and individuals with greater BMI and waist circumference showed significantly better odor discrimination skills. Finally, lower waist circumference (but not BMI) was found significantly associated with greater levels of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that cognitive, olfactory and affective factors may influence body weight during healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentina Parma
- Area of Neuroscience, SISSA, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,William James Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Gallucci M, Pallucca C, Di Battista ME, Bergamelli C, Fiore V, Boccaletto F, Fiorini M, Perra D, Zanusso G, Fenoglio C, Serpente M, Galimberti D, Bonanni L. Anti-Cholinergic Derangement of Cortical Metabolism on 18F-FDG PET in a Patient with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Dementia: A Case of the TREDEM Registry. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 74:1107-1117. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-191290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Gallucci
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Claudia Pallucca
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Bergamelli
- Cognitive Impairment Center, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Vittorio Fiore
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Franco Boccaletto
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Local Health Authority n.2 Marca Trevigiana, Treviso, Italy
| | - Michele Fiorini
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Daniela Perra
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniela Galimberti
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Center, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Policlinico, Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bonanni
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences and CESI, University G D’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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194
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Sardone R, Battista P, Donghia R, Lozupone M, Tortelli R, Guerra V, Grasso A, Griseta C, Castellana F, Zupo R, Lampignano L, Sborgia G, Capozzo R, Bortone I, Stallone R, Fiorella ML, Passantino A, Giannelli G, Seripa D, Panza F, Logroscino G, Quaranta N. Age-Related Central Auditory Processing Disorder, MCI, and Dementia in an Older Population of Southern Italy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020; 163:348-355. [PMID: 32312167 DOI: 10.1177/0194599820913635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explored the associations of age-related central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in an older population-based cohort in Apulia, Southern Italy (GreatAGE Study). STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional data from a population-based study. SETTING Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Between 2013 and 2018, MCI, dementia, age-related CAPD (no disabling hearing loss and <50% score on the SSI-ICM test [Synthetic Sentence Identification-Ipsilateral Competing Message]), neurologic and neuropsychological examinations, and serum metabolic biomarkers assays were investigated on 1647 healthy volunteers aged >65 years. RESULTS The prevalences of age-related CAPD, MCI, and dementia were 14.15%, 15.79%, and 3.58%, respectively. Among the subjects with MCI and dementia, 19.61% and 42.37% had age-related CAPD. In the regressive models, age-related CAPD was associated with MCI (odds ratio, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.01-2.21) and dementia (odds ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.12-4.42). Global cognition scores were positively associated with increasing SSI-ICM scores in linear models. All models were adjusted for demographics and metabolic serum biomarkers. CONCLUSION The tight association of age-related CAPD with MCI and dementia suggests the involvement of central auditory pathways in neurodegeneration, but it is not clear which is the real direction of this association. However, CAPD is a possible diagnostic marker of cognitive dysfunction in older patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Sardone
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Rossella Donghia
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Madia Lozupone
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosanna Tortelli
- Institute of Neurology, University College of London, London, UK.,Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Pia Fondazione Cardinale G Panico, Tricase, Italy
| | - Vito Guerra
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Grasso
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Chiara Griseta
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Fabio Castellana
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Roberta Zupo
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Luisa Lampignano
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Sborgia
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Capozzo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Pia Fondazione Cardinale G Panico, Tricase, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bortone
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Roberta Stallone
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Fiorella
- Otolaryngology Unit, Section of Otologic and Neurotologic Surgery, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Davide Seripa
- Research Laboratory, Complex Structure of Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Foggia, Italy
| | - Francesco Panza
- Population Health Research Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology and Research Hospital IRCCS "S. De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Pia Fondazione Cardinale G Panico, Tricase, Italy
| | - Nicola Quaranta
- Institute of Neurology, University College of London, London, UK.,Otolaryngology Unit, Section of Otologic and Neurotologic Surgery, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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195
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Abrahámová M, Smolejová E, Dančík D, Pribišová K, Heretik A, Hajdúk M. Normative data for the Slovak version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2020; 29:273-278. [PMID: 32297814 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2020.1748031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a well-established screening measure of frontal lobe pathology. The aim of this study is the development of normative data for healthy Slovak adults. The final sample consisted of 487 healthy adults (54% of them female). The mean age in our sample was M = 55.29 (SD = 19.96). For the whole sample, the mean score on the FAB was 16.46 and the SD was 1.64. The mean score on the MMSE for the whole sample was 28.39 and the SD was 1.43. All participants underwent a complex neuropsychological examination spanning the relevant cognitive domains. FAB scores were found to be negatively associated with age (rs = -0.464, p < 0.001) and positively associated with years of education (rs = 0.199, p < 0.001). FAB scores positively correlated with the performance in MMSE (rs = 0.266, p < 0.001). Statistically significant and theoretically meaningful associations to other neuropsychological tests used in this study suggested the adequate convergent validity of the Slovak version of the FAB. The present study provided accurate normative FAB data, which can be used for clinical and research purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslava Abrahámová
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Smolejová
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniel Dančík
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Psychiatric Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research, Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Karin Pribišová
- Neurological Clinic of SHU, University Hospital Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anton Heretik
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research, Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Hajdúk
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Psychiatric Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research, Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
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Nardi Cesarini E, Babiloni C, Salvadori N, Farotti L, Del Percio C, Pascarelli MT, Noce G, Lizio R, Da Re F, Isella V, Tremolizzo L, Romoli M, DiFrancesco JC, Parnetti L, Costa C. Late-Onset Epilepsy With Unknown Etiology: A Pilot Study on Neuropsychological Profile, Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers, and Quantitative EEG Characteristics. Front Neurol 2020; 11:199. [PMID: 32351438 PMCID: PMC7174783 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the fact that epilepsy has been associated with cognitive decline, neuropsychological, neurobiological, and neurophysiological features in patients with late-onset epilepsy of unknown etiology (LOEU) are still unknown. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the neuropsychological profile, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and resting-state quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) cortical rhythms in LOEU patients with mild cognitive impairment (LOEU-MCI) and with normal cognition (LOEU-CN), compared to non-epileptic MCI (NE-MCI) and cognitively normal (CN) controls. Methods: Consecutive patients in two clinical Units diagnosed with LOEU-CN (19), LOEU-MCI (27), and NE-MCI (21) were enrolled, and compared to age and sex-matched cognitively normal subjects CN (11). Patients underwent standardized comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and CSF core AD biomarkers assessment (i.e., CSF Aβ42, phospho-tau and total tau, classified through A/T/(N) system). Recordings of resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms were collected and cortical source estimation of delta (<4 Hz) to gamma (>30 Hz) bands with exact Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (eLORETA) was performed. Results: Most LOEU patients had an MCI status at seizure onset (59%). Patients with LOEU-MCI performed significantly worse on measures of global cognition, visuo-spatial abilities, and executive functions compared to NE-MCI patients (p < 0.05). Regarding MCI subtypes, multiple-domain MCI was 3-fold more frequent in LOEU-MCI than in NE-MCI patients (OR 3.14, 95%CI 0.93-10.58, p = 0.06). CSF Aβ42 levels were lower in the LOEU-MCI compared with the LOEU-CN group. Finally, parietal and occipital sources of alpha (8-12 Hz) rhythms were less active in the LOEU-MCI than in the NE-MCI and CN groups, while the opposite was true for frontal and temporal cortical delta sources. Discussion: MCI status was relatively frequent in LOEU patients, involved multiple cognitive domains, and might have been driven by amyloidosis according to CSF biomarkers. LOEU-MCI status was associated with abnormalities in cortical sources of EEG rhythms related to quiet vigilance. Future longitudinal studies should cross-validate our findings and test the predictive value of CSF and EEG variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Nardi Cesarini
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer," Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino, Italy
| | - Nicola Salvadori
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lucia Farotti
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudio Del Percio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer," Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Fulvio Da Re
- Department of Neurology, Milan Center for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Valeria Isella
- Department of Neurology, Milan Center for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Lucio Tremolizzo
- Department of Neurology, Milan Center for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Michele Romoli
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.,Neurology Unit, Rimini "Infermi" Hospital-AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy
| | - Jacopo C DiFrancesco
- Department of Neurology, Milan Center for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Lucilla Parnetti
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia-S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy
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197
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Del Prete E, Turcano P, Unti E, Palermo G, Pagni C, Frosini D, Bonuccelli U, Ceravolo R. Theory of mind in Parkinson's disease: evidences in drug-naïve patients and longitudinal effects of dopaminergic therapy. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:2761-2766. [PMID: 32277390 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04374-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states to one self and others and to understand that others have beliefs different from one's own. Different subcomponents of ToM have also been identified: cognitive and affective. Cognitive ToM refers to the capacity to infer others' beliefs and intentions, while affective ToM implies the ability to appreciate others' emotional states. The aim of this study was to explore ToM in drug-naïve Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and to investigate the effects of chronic dopaminergic therapy on different subcomponents of ToM during a 3 months and 1 year of follow-up. We examined 16 PD patients in three conditions: before (un-medicated) and after dopaminergic therapy (medicated 3 months: T1 and medicated 1 year: T2). We also compared our PD's ToM abilities with 11 healthy individuals. ToM was explored with 5 different tasks: Faux Pas Test, Picture Sequencing Task Capture Story, Emotion Attribution Task, Strange Stories Task, and Karolinska Directed Emotional Faces. Our study confirms that PD patients present deficits in cognitive components of ToM and preserved performances in the affective ones in early stages of disease. We also find a significant effect of dopaminergic therapy on ToM already after 3 months with a good persistency after 1 year of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Del Prete
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Turcano
- Mayo Clinic Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Elisa Unti
- Department of Medical, Specialities Neurology Unit, AOUP, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Palermo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Pagni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniela Frosini
- Department of Medical, Specialities Neurology Unit, AOUP, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ubaldo Bonuccelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberto Ceravolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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198
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Few longitudinal studies have explored the progression of cognitive and functional impairment of patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The aims of the study were to describe the clinical, neuroimaging, and genetic features of a cohort of 68 PPA patients, and to outline the natural history of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS A sample of 23 patients with the logopenic variant, 26 with the nonfluent/agrammatic variant, and 19 with the semantic variant was retrospectively collected and followed-up for a maximum of 6 years. Clinical-neuropsychological assessment, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic imaging, and genetic analyses were acquired at baseline. Disease progression was evaluated in terms of language impairment, global cognitive decline, and functional dependency. RESULTS During follow-up, one third of subjects presented total language loss, and 20% severe functional dependency. Global cognitive decline after the first year (hazard ratio, 5.93; confidence interval, 1.63-21.56) and high schooling (hazard ratio, 0.07; confidence interval, 0.008-0.74) represented risk factors for functional impairment. The apolipoprotein E status was associated with the progression of cognitive decline. Positive family history for dementia was frequent and 3 genetic autosomal dominant mutations were identified. CONCLUSIONS There were no differences in the progression of PPA subtypes. Genetics plays an important role in disease onset and progression.
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199
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Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, Cannas A, Figorilli M, Defazio G. Efficacy and safety of 5‐hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary finding. Eur J Neurol 2020; 27:779-786. [DOI: 10.1111/ene.14179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Meloni
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - M. Puligheddu
- Sleep Disorders Center Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Neurology Unit University of Cagliari and AOU Cagliari Monserrato, Cagliari Italy
| | - M. Carta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - A. Cannas
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Neurology Unit University of Cagliari and AOU Cagliari Monserrato, Cagliari Italy
| | - M. Figorilli
- Sleep Disorders Center Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - G. Defazio
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Neurology Unit University of Cagliari and AOU Cagliari Monserrato, Cagliari Italy
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200
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Ansar M, Paracha SA, Serretti A, Sarwar MT, Khan J, Ranza E, Falconnet E, Iwaszkiewicz J, Shah SF, Qaisar AA, Santoni FA, Zoete V, Megarbane A, Ahmed J, Colombo R, Makrythanasis P, Antonarakis SE. Biallelic variants in FBXL3 cause intellectual disability, delayed motor development and short stature. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:972-979. [PMID: 30481285 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
FBXL3 (F-Box and Leucine Rich Repeat Protein 3) encodes a protein that contains an F-box and several tandem leucine-rich repeats (LRR) domains. FBXL3 is part of the SCF (Skp1-Cullin-F box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex that binds and leads to phosphorylation-dependent degradation of the central clock protein cryptochromes (CRY1 and CRY2) by the proteasome and its absence causes circadian phenotypes in mice and behavioral problems. No FBXL3-related phenotypes have been described in humans. By a combination of exome sequencing and homozygosity mapping, we analyzed two consanguineous families with intellectual disability and identified homozygous loss-of-function (LoF) variants in FBXL3. In the first family, from Pakistan, an FBXL3 frameshift variant [NM_012158.2:c.885delT:p.(Leu295Phefs*25)] was the onlysegregating variant in five affected individuals in two family loops (LOD score: 3.12). In the second family, from Lebanon, we identified a nonsense variant [NM_012158.2:c.445C>T:p.(Arg149*)]. In a third patient from Italy, a likely deleterious non-synonymous variant [NM_012158.2:c.1072T>C:p.(Cys358Arg)] was identified in homozygosity. Protein 3D modeling predicted that the Cys358Arg change influences the binding with CRY2 by destabilizing the structure of the FBXL3, suggesting that this variant is also likely to be LoF. The eight affected individuals from the three families presented with a similar phenotype that included intellectual disability, developmental delay, short stature and mild facial dysmorphism, mainly large nose with a bulbous tip. The phenotypic similarity and the segregation analysis suggest that FBXL3 biallelic, LoF variants link this gene with syndromic autosomal recessive developmental delay/intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ansar
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sohail Aziz Paracha
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Alessandro Serretti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Muhammad T Sarwar
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Jamshed Khan
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Emmanuelle Ranza
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Service of Genetic Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emilie Falconnet
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Justyna Iwaszkiewicz
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Molecular Modeling Group, Batiment Genopode, Unil Sorge, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sayyed Fahim Shah
- Department of Medicine, KMU Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, Pakistan
| | | | - Federico A Santoni
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Zoete
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Molecular Modeling Group, Batiment Genopode, Unil Sorge, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Fundamental Oncology, Lausanne University, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Route de la Corniche 9A, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | | | - Jawad Ahmed
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Roberto Colombo
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy.,Center for the Study of Rare Hereditary Diseases, Niguarda Ca' Granda Metropolitan Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Periklis Makrythanasis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stylianos E Antonarakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Service of Genetic Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3 Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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